Indicator for rural mail-boxes.



R. S. JONES. INDICATOR r03 RURAL MAIL noxss. 7

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 20, 1908. v

Patented Aug. 24,-1909.

[NVENTOR c) n e s WITNESSES ANDMW. a. 0mm: 00.. Pnemuwamwum; wasmumon D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH S. JONES, OF MEDFORD, WISCONSIN.

INDICATOR FOR RURAL MAIL-BOXES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH S. J ONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county of Taylor and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators for Rural Hail-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in indicators for rural mail boxes and it is an object of the invention to provide .a novel device of this character which is operated when the door of the box is opened.

It is also an object of the invention to pro vide a novel device of this character which is pivotally carried by the box, said device being provided with spring means for retaining the indicator or the flag thereof in an elevated position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will be simple in construction, efiicient and advantageous in practice and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

IVith the above and other objects in View the invention consists of the details of construction and in the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

In describing the invention in detail, ref erence will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a mail box with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mail box with the indicator shown as elevated, the normal position of the indicator being shown in dotted lines, and, Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the indicator detached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention.

In the drawings 1 denotes a mail box suitably secured to the post 2, said box being provided with the cover 3 which is suitably hinged to the box.

To one end of the box 1 is hinged the L- shaped bar 4:, the pivot 5 of the bar being at the junction of the stem of the bar with Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 20, 1908.

Serial No. 458, 662.

the foot thereof, the pintle of the cover 3 acting as the pivot. The free end of the foot is depressed as at 6 and said depressed portion is provided with the opposed laterally extending wings 7 the foot of the bar 1 possessing sufficient resiliency as to contact with the wing 7 and the depressed portion 6 with the end of the box so that the stem of the bar 4: will be in any position it may assume.

The free end of the stem of the bar 4; is provided with the flag 8 preferably formed therewith, said flag projecting in a plane approximately parallel with the foot of the bar 4. The free end of the bar t is also provided with the inwardly extending lug 9 which is adapted to normally rest on the top of the cover 3, said lug 9 being arranged at approximately right angles to the flag 8.

It is thought to be obvious that when the cover 3 is raised for the insertion of mail therein, the contact of the cover 3 with the lug 9 will elevate the bar 4 and that the resiliency of the foot of the bar 4 will prevent the return movement of the bar when the cover is closed. The flag portion 8 is discernible from a distance and when elevated indicates that a deposit is within the box. When the mail is taken from the box the flag 8 or the bar 4 is depressed manually to bring the lug 9 into contact with the cover 3.

In Fig. 4 a slightly modified form of invention is shown, said form being used in connection with a vertically arranged door. In this instance the L-shaped bar 10 has its foot 11 extending upwardly and the pivot 12 of the bar being adjacent the door 13. The free end portion of the foot 11 is provided with the angular extension '14 which abuts the door 13 so that when the door 13 is swung on its pivot it will elevate the bar 10 to bring the flag 15 thereof within the line of vision. In order that the bar 10 may be frictionally held against movement it is depressed intermediate its length as at 16, and said depressed portion is provided with the laterally extending wings 17 The portion of the thus modified form of invention is believed to be obvious.

I claim In combination with a receptacle having a cover hinged thereto, of a bar hinged to said receptacle, means whereby the movement of the cover will impart movement to Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

the bar said bar bein arovided with a dename to this s ecification in the resence of 7 b v pressed portlon and laterally extendlng two subscrlblng wltnesse's.

wings projeetim from the depressed pork T tion of the bar? szud depressed portion of RALPH JOAES' 5 the bar and wings contacting with the re- \V1tnesses:

eeptaele. ALLEN JONES,

In testimony whereof I have signed my Jonx KRAEMER. 

